Promoting health equity through a collaborative neighborhood health & safety approach

As a mission-driven faith based health system, our holistic approach to serving our communities calls us to address neighborhood safety and limited health resources and their impact on health through strategies that are timely, effective and culturally competent. To this end, St. John Providence Health System began its Detroit Neighborhoods Health and Safety Center Initiative. While the advancement of health care is critical in improving cures for diseases, an ounce of public health is worth a pound of healthcare. The Neighborhood Health and Safety Initiative recognizes prevalent health disparities and safety issues in its target communities and coordinates a collaborative partnership with the health system, community based nonprofits, and residents in order to promote positive outcomes by encouraging practices that foster safety and disease prevention. The initiative developed and implements the PROM-Ed model to address safety and health targeting three Detroit Neighborhoods troubled by poverty, crime and blight, and limited resources. The model has the following components: P-Presence: accessible center located in the target community R-Reporting: reporting and monitoring of crime and unsafe conditions O-Organizing: organizing the collaborative efforts with the advice and participation of community members and block clubs M-Mobilizing: mobilizing volunteer patrols, clean-up efforts and health events, and Ed-Educating: educating communities about healthy lifestyles, and available resources for health care services focusing on under and uninsured. While the model and work plan of the Neighborhood Health and Safety Initiative is unique to the respective neighborhoods, it has the potential to be replicated and shaped to benefit other communities.